The European Union published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) of November 7th, 2008, a Call for Proposals on European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST). COST promotes within the EU new research networks, with an innovative, interdisciplinary and general character.

European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST) brings together researchers and experts in different countries working on specific topics, funding and supporting networking activities such as meetings, conferences, short term scientific exchanges and outreach activities. Currently more than 200 scientific networks (Actions) are supported.

COST Call invites proposals for Actions contributing to the scientific, technological, economic, cultural or societal development of Europe. Proposals playing a precursor role for other European programmes and/or initiated by early-stage researchers are especially welcome.

Proposers are invited to locate their topic within one of the nine broad Domains which have defined. However, inter-disciplinary proposals not  fitting readily into a single Domain are particularly welcome and will be assessed separately by the  Trans-Domain Proposals Standing Assessment Body.

Broad Domains within COST 2008 Call for Proposals

1. Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences
2. Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies
3. Earth System Science and Environmental Management
4. Food and Agriculture
5. Forests, their Products and Services
6. Individuals, Society, Culture and Health
7. Information and  Communication Technologies
8. Materials, Physical and Nanosciences
9. Transport and Urban Development

Proposals should include researchers from a minimum of five COST countries. Financial support in the  range of EUR 100,000 per year, for a usual period of 4 years which can be expected. COST receives financial support for its coordinating activities from the EU RTD Framework Programme.

Selection Procedure: Preliminary and Full Proposals Deadlines

Proposals will be assessed in two stages. Preliminary Proposals will include a brief overview of  the proposal and its intended impact (submission will be done using the on-line template available at the Open Call COST page). Eligible Proposals will be assessed by the relevant  Domain Committees in accordance with the published criteria. Proposers of selected  Preliminary Proposals will be invited to submit a Full Proposal. Full Proposals will be peer reviewed  according to the assessment criteria. The decision will normally be taken  within six months of the collection date and the Actions should expect to start within three months there-after.

Further details about the intended coverage of each broad Domain, as well as the assessment criteria, are available at the COST website.

The collection date for Preliminary Proposals is March 27th, 2009. Approximately 80 Full Proposals will be  invited for final selection of approximately 30 new Actions.  Full Proposals will be invited by May 15th, 2009 for submission by July 31st, 2009, with decisions expected in  November 2009. The next collection date is envisaged for September 25th, 2009.

Proposers may wish to contact their national COST Coordinator (CNC) for information and guidance.